Istra 1961–Rijeka rivalry

The rivalry between Rijeka and Pula dates back to the days of Kingdom of Italy in the early 1920s, when numerous clubs from Fiume (Rijeka) and Pola (Pula) met at various levels of the Italian league system. The first official match between Rijeka and Pula took place on 25 June 1920, between Juventus Enea Fiume and US Polese. While numerous Rijeka/Fiume (Juventus Enea, Olympia, Gloria, Fiume, Veloce, Fiumana, Magazzini Generali) and Pula/Pola (Polese, Grion, Edera) regularly met during this period, the most notable rivalry existed between U.S. Fiumana and G.S.F. Giovanni Grion Pola. Between 1930 and 1943, these two clubs played 20 official matches, with Fiumana winning 11 and Grion 5 matches, alongside 4 draws.

Following the end of World War II, the two cities became part of the Yugoslavia. NK Kvarner, based in Rijeka, was established in July 1946 and took over the grounds formerly used by US Fiumana.[1] It qualified for the 1946–47 Yugoslav First League after beating the short-lived Pula-based club USO (Unione Sportiva Operaia) in a two-legged playoff played in August 1946.[2] USO was formed in 1945 with players from the defunct Grion which had been disbanded by the Anglo-American military administration shortly after World War II.[2] In late 1947 USO merged with another local club to form NK Pula, which survives today as NK Istra. Kvarner was renamed NK Rijeka in June 1954.[3] During this period Rijeka spent most seasons playing in the Yugoslav First League, while Pula clubs played in the lower tiers. Until the break-up of Yugoslavia in 1991, Rijeka (until 1954 as Kvarner) played 21 official fixtures against Istra and Uljanik, mainly in lower divisions during the 1950s and early 1970s, and in the 1973 and 1978–79 Yugoslav Cup.[4] Two other clubs from Rijeka, NK Orijent and NK Lučki radnik, frequently met Istra and Uljanik in the lower tiers of Yugoslav football.

Since Croatian independence, Istra joined Croatia’s top tier and local derbies became a regular feature. Between 1992 and 2000, Rijeka and Istra met on 17 occasions, with Rijeka winning on 8 and Istra on 6 occasions, while 3 matches finished in a draw. Pula did not have a top tier club between 2000 and 2004. In 2004, NK Pula 1856, former Uljanik, was promoted to Prva HNL. In 2005, the club was renamed to NK Pula Staro Češko, in 2006 to NK Pula and, finally, in summer 2007 to NK Istra 1961. Since July 2004, Istra 1961 and Rijeka have played 48 regional derbies, with Rijeka winning 32 and Istra 1961 4 games, while 12 matches ended in a draw.

Last updated on 26 August 2020.

• Milivoj Bračun
• Nenad Gračan
• Srećko Juričić
• Robert Rubčić
• Elvis Scoria
• Zoran Vulić

The table lists the place each team took in each of the seasons.

• Eternal derby
• Adriatic derby
• Dinamo–Rijeka derby

• History of Rijeka's participation in championships at NK-Rijeka.hr (in Croatian)